Fire engulfs emissions testing bay in New Canaan

Tyler Woods

Published 8:13 pm, Monday, July 15, 2013

A gray Volvo sedan caught fire Monday and ignited a blaze inside the emissions testing bay at AC Auto Body at 182 Main St., New Canaan. The fire was contained to the bay and no one was injured.
Photo: Tyler Woods

A gray Volvo sedan caught fire Monday and ignited a blaze inside...

A gray Volvo sedan caught fire Monday and ignited a blaze inside the emissions testing bay at AC Auto Body at 182 Main St., New Canaan. The fire was contained to the bay and no one was injured.
Photo: Tyler Woods

A gray Volvo sedan caught fire Monday and ignited a blaze inside...

A gray Volvo sedan caught fire Monday and ignited a blaze inside the emissions testing bay at AC Auto Body at 182 Main St., New Canaan. The fire was contained to the bay and no one was injured.
Photo: Tyler Woods

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What started as a car fire in the emissions testing bay of AC Auto Body at 182 Main St. engulfed the structure Monday around 5 p.m.

The fire started from a gasoline leak of an older, gray Volvo 840 sedan, which was being tested. The driver had just filled up his tank at the Gulf station across the street when he brought it into the emissions bay, according to AC Auto Body owner Anthony Cesaro.

"As soon as he pulled it in, it caught fire. My guy started working on it and `poof.' He felt heat on his leg and saw the bottom of the car was on fire," Cesaro said.

The employee called the Fire Department, which is located just blocks north on Main Street.

The fire spread from the car to the building as firefighters arrived.

"You can tell from the sign how much heat was coming out from inside," said Fire Chief Jack Hennessey, gesturing at a tattered and charred sign, which read, in part, "CT. EMISSIONS TEST CENTER."

The fire was confined to the emissions testing bay and did not damage the main garage, to which it is connected.